HUMA 2740

Lecture 10

Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (MPPDA) – run by

former Postmaster-General Will Hays

o Dealt with issues common to entire industry from perspective of

ownership and management (e.g. public relations, censorship
and labour relations)
- Owner-based consolidation of power and MPPDA’s pursuit of a
traditional model of labour relations gave further motivation to desire
to unionize among many of the waged and salaried workers in the
industry
- Related to these changes was an understanding of the threat posed
to the business interests of the movie moguls by Communism as an
alternative political ideology and mode of economic organization
- Movie studios found themselves closely allied to the Republican
administrations of the 1920s
- Quote pg 45
- Represents a significant convergence of the business interests of the
movie industry leaders and the political aims of the American state
- Despite American Right’s frequent assertions to the contrary (of the
quote) (especially in 40s), Hollywood has often been the best
spokesperson for the American political and business elite for the last
80 years or so
o See another reason for development and entrenchment of the
individualistic narrative structures that were the norm in
Hollywood films since the teens
 o Also see reasons behind the near-hysterical attempt to keep
unions out of Hollywood in the 20s
- Prior to 1920, there had been a number of attempts to unionize actors
by unions that already existed in theatre business in the East
- Also many unsuccessful attempts to organize technical trades by a
number of craft-specific unions
- After formation of MPPDA, many workers in Hollywood grew
concerned at lack of protection from such a unified employer’s
organization
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees and Moving
Picture Machine Operators (IATSE) began to organize all craft and
technical trades across film industry
- Led to jurisdictional disputes with older craft unions also trying to get
a foothold in industry
- IATSE and craft unions joined forces to approach Will Hays
Hays and studio bosses surrendered and signed the Studio Basic
Agreement of 1926, first industry-wide agreement in history of film industry
Broadcasting Acts

- Television broadcasting policy is a state instrument that shapes the

actions and interactions of TV broadcasters within a national territory
- (enabled convergence of telecommunications and broadcasting in US
by overturning longstanding cross-ownership restrictions and led to a
number of acquisitions, takeovers, and mergers)
- prohibits the Big Three TV networks from owning the means of TV
content production and syndication rights to TV shows
- TV broadcasting policy not made in a value-neutral fashion nor does it
represent everyone’s interests
- Policy often represents specific values that belong to particular
interest groups in society
- Those who shape broadcasting policy have greater power to shape
TV in society than those who don’t
- In Cda and US, broadcasting policy often supports the interest of
corporations
- State makes some concessions to public interest when faced with a
legitimacy crisis